South Africa | Heart for Art, Butterfly Art Project

Art therapy for children from poor areas

Children become designers of their own lives

The Butterfly Art Project was founded in 2010 by Angela Katschke, a German art therapist, and aims to empower children in their creativity and enable them to become designers of their own lives.
The Butterfly Art Project offers anthroposophical art therapy in the slum area of Vrygrond (about 30 km southeast of Cape Town city centre) for socially disadvantaged children who would otherwise have no access to art classes.
The art classes offered are intended to enable children to enjoy creation and artistic expression and thus strengthen their self-awareness and resilience.

Joy and fun while painting, drawing and being creative.

The children in the “Heart for Art Program” are between 5 and 18 years old and can freely develop their skills in numerous artistic activities: painting, wood carving, working with clay, drawing, comics, animation, stage design, knitting, crocheting, sewing, theater performances and mural painting.
The course content is designed to be age-appropriate and covers topics such as community, safety, culture and tolerance, feelings and emotions, and visions of the future.
The Butterfly Art Projects also offers its participants the opportunity to become a so-called Community Art Facilitator, learning skills in fabric painting, hand sewing, embroidery and other forms of handcraft.

Creativity opens children’s hearts.

One example of the project's success is Brad, who participated in the Butterfly Project to be able to return to school and be integrated into a larger class. On Brad's very first day in the art program, he came in wearing a hoodie that completely covered his face and refused to sit down.
For two years, he took part in various art projects, all of which were intended to give him a sense of achievement once a week.
The result: Brad became more open, began to communicate and express himself through creativity.

Find out more about the many projects that we have been able to realize in the name of Sir Peter Ustinov with the help of numerous supporters.